Broken Spark Plug

**Crawdaddy** · 03-20-2007, 10:46 PM

Well, I decided to do a tune-up, and really, I'm still not done with it, but I went to change the plugs and wires. Well, the last one my uncle and I had to do was the rear passenger spark plug. It was very much stuck in place, so much that he actually broke the porcelain part of the plug off. Thank god the nut part was still there. It took probably 10 minutes to get it out, and we thought we killed the threads on the plug hole. Thank god we didn't, and I was able to get the new plug in. That was the scariest and terrifiying thing that's ever happened to me. But, doing the tune-up today was well worth it. I changed the oil and filter, replaced the plugs and wires (still have the cap and rotor to do, forgot to buy them with everything else), and air filter. I still need to replace the fuel filter, cap, rotor...and I'm sure I'm forgetting other things. What did I miss? Anyways, my spark plug issue is resolved, but I wanted to pass my hair-raising tale along........

**Steve** · 03-20-2007, 11:29 PM

Originally Posted by Crawdaddy

Well, I decided to do a tune-up, and really, I'm still not done with it, but I went to change the plugs and wires. Well, the last one my uncle and I had to do was the rear passenger spark plug. It was very much stuck in place, so much that he actually groke the porcelain part of the plug off. Thank god the nut part was still there. It took probably 10 minutes to get it out, and we thought we killed the threads on the plug hole. Thank god we didn't, and I was able to get the new plug in. That was the scariest and terrifiying thing that's ever happened to me. But, doing the tune-up today was weel worth it. I changed the oil and filter, replaced the plugs and wires (still have the cap and rotor to do, forgot to buy them with everything else), and air filter. I still need to replace the fuel filter, cap, rotor...and I'm sure I'm forgetting other things. What did I miss? Anyways, my spark plug issue is resolved, but I wanted to pass my hair-raising tale along........

Done that before! Put a 350 in my '62 GMC and it was TIGHT! Took like 30 minutes to get the rear passanger plug out, and it broke clean off and barely got the remnants out.

**unplugged** · 03-21-2007, 06:59 AM

That reminded me of the time I was building a little 289 for my Austin Healey. I went to fit the bellhousing to the block and I broke a bolt off in the block. No big deal just remove the other bolts, set the bellhousing aside and drill the bolt in prep for extraction. Then I broke the extractor off in the bolt! Almost screwed...I got the arc welder out and tack welded another bolt to the stub that was exposed and luckily I was able to get the critter out.

**84fiero123** · 03-21-2007, 07:12 AM

Originally Posted by unplugged

That reminded me of the time I was building a little 289 for my Austin Healey. I went to fit the bellhousing to the block and I broke a bolt off in the block. No big deal just remove the other bolts, set the bellhousing aside and drill the bolt in prep for extraction. Then I broke the extractor off in the bolt! Almost screwed...I got the arc welder out and tack welded another bolt to the stub that was exposed and luckily I was able to get the critter out.

Welding a bolt on a broken stud is a classic I have recomended many times, when you can get a rod in there.

I don't think I know a mechanic who hasn't broken at least one.

If you are not sure how long they have been in there, PB Blast it. Better safe than sorry.

Drilling out a plug is no fun.